The heritage trail of West Bengal leads to the district of Hooghly, 47 km north of Kolkata. This historical district abounds in relics of foreign settlers – the British and Portuguese at Hooghly, the Dutch at Chinsurah, the French at Chandannagore, the Germans and Austrians at Bhadreswar. The Portuguese settled here in 1537, but were routed out by Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor, in 1632. The British East India Company also established a factory here in 1651.

Places Of Interest:

There are many places of historical interest in the district.

Antpur: At Antpur, only 62 km away from Calcutta, there is a profusion of temples built mostly by Krishnaram Mitra, a local zemindar during the eighteenthlcentury. The most prominent of these is the one built in 1786 and dedicated to the family deity Radha-Govinda. It is a large ‘atchala’ structure with an attached ‘charchala mandap’ in front known as the ‘Jagamohan’, bothl placed on a high platform approached by stairs. The outer walls of the ‘Jagamohan’ and the exposed parts of the front wall of the main temple are embellished with exquisite terracotta panels representing episodes from the Epics and the Puranas and scenes of contemporary life and society. Coloured mural paintings cover the waulted interior of the roof of the ‘Jagamohan’. Beside the main temple are the ‘Dolmancha’ and ‘Rasmancha’ of Radha-Govinda and the temples of Gangadhara, Fuleswara, Rameswara, Jaleswara and Baneswara. The ‘Chandimandap’ is another object of interest at Antpur in that the structure is one of the very few of its kind extant in West Bengal depicting fine artistry in wood.

It was at the village home of Baburam Ghosh (later Swami Premananda) at Antpur that swami Vivekananda and eight other disciples of Sri Ramakrishna took a vow of ‘Sannyasa’. The Ramakrishna-Premananda Ashram of Antpur has built a temple on the birth-place of Swami Pramananda.

Bansberia was one of the main villages of ancient Saptagram. The temples of Ananta Vasudeva and Hanseswari are famous here. The Vasudeva temple is constructed in the traditional ekaratna style with curved cornices and an octagonal tower. Hanseswari temple has a unique architectural style. There are thirteen minars, each shaped like a lotus bud, and the inner layout follows the human anatomy!

Bandel: The relics of the Portuguese settlement at Bandel are the Church and the Monastery. Built around 1660 by the Portuguese. Bandel Church is one of the oldest Christian churches in West Bengal. The Church is dedicated to Nossa Senhora di Rozario. The keystone of an older church with the year 1599 on it adorns the riverside gate of the monastery attached to it. An important railway junction of the Eastern Railway, Bandel is 43 km from Calcutta and attracts tourists throughout the year.


Chandernagore: 37 km away from Calcutta, Chandernagore was once a French colony. It is a beautifully laid out town on the bank of the river Hooghly with a lovely promenade that is ideal for strolls. The churches, the convent and the residence of the French Administrator along the strand are interesting buildings left by the French.


Kamarpukur, Jairambati : The eminence of Kamarpukur stems from the fact that it is the native village of Sri Ramkrishna who was born here of February 17, 1836. The Ramakrishna Math and Mision havea erected a memorial temple on the sport of his birth. The annual birth-day celebration of Sri Ramakrishna is the principal festival of the village. Regular bus services connect Kamarpukur with Arambagh and Vishnupur. Jairambato, the place of birth of Sri Ma Saradamoni, the consort of Sri Ramkrishna, in the district of Bankura, is quite near Kamarpukur.


Tarakeswar: Tarakeswar is a renowned place of pilgrimage and the greatest centre of the Shaiva sect in West Bengal. 58 kmk away from Calcutta, Tarakeswar can be reached conveniently by train. The principal attraction is the temple of Taraknath, an 'atchala' structure with a 'natmandir' in front. Close by are the shrines of Kali and Lakshmi-Narayan. Dudhpukur, a tank to the north of the Shiva temple is believed to fulfil the prayers of those taking a dip in it.

Pilgrims visit the temple throughout the year, especially on Mondays. But thousands of pilgrims visit Tarakeswar on the occasions of 'Shivaratri' and 'Gajan', the former taking place in Falgun (Feb-March) while the latter lasts for five days ending on the last day of Chaitra (mid-April). The month of Sravana (mid-July to mid-August) is auspicious for Shiva when celebrations are held on each Monday.

Chinsurah was a Dutch settlement from 1656 to 1825. It was later exchanged by the Dutch for the British-held Indonesian island of Sumatra in 1825. Fort Gustavus, a church, three barracks and many old tombs stand testimony to the bygone days. Chandannagore, a former French colony, is a beautifully laid out town, on the banks of the river Hooghly. The churches, convent and the French Administrator’s residence are the points of interest here.

The famous Imambara at Hooghly was established by Hazi Mohammad Mohsin in 1836. The gateway is flanked by lofty minarets, the walls are decorated with texts from the Koran and the interior has rich carvings and inlaid marble motifs. Further away is Belur Math, headquarters of the Ramkrishna Mission. The evening aarti (light ceremony) is worth watching here. Across the river is the beautiful Dakshineswar Kali Temple.

Formerly known as Fedricnagar, Serampur was the seat of missionary activity from 1793 to 1834. It holds an important place in Bengal’s history. It was a Danish settlement till East India Company took over in 1845. The house of the Danish Governor, the Roman Catholic Church and St Olaf Churchstill stands here. There is also a museum in Serampur College with exhibits about the missionaries, Dr Williams Carey, Ward and Marshman and their activties.

Fairs & Festivals:

Mahesh, 3 km from Serampur, has a very old Jagannath Temple, where the annual car festival is held in June / July each year.

Communication:

Hooghly, 47 km north of Kolkata on the west bank of the river Hooghly, a main rail and road connection.

Bansberia, 47 km north of Kolkata, is connected to it by road and rail.

Located 48 km north of Kolkata, Bandel may be reached by rail and road.